Windows 8 will include a hard reset option to reset the operating system to factory settings in two minutes. This feature alone is pretty interesting for users who want to start anew. A possible scenario is to reset Windows 8 every time it has been used to always start with default settings.
The installation time of Windows 8 has been reduced by a factor of 2.5 from 25 minutes to 8 minutes. Microsoft is using a fast system (24 Gigabytes RAM, 8-core cpu, 2 TB hard drive to measure the time).
What else? Windows 8 will feature an app store that is directly accessible from within the operating system.
Especially the improved installation time and the hard reset are features that many users will benefit from. The main concern is that Microsoft may deliver a thin client on disc to achieve the installation speed, and that additional programs and features need to be downloaded from the cloud on first use. This would be similar to how Windows Live applications are now handled in Windows 7.
Ah! It's refreshing to see Steve Ballmer in a more sensible state of mind. I was actually expecting him to start jumping and screaming around the stage, much to my relief he didn't and finally made some sense. Though I'm a Linux user, it's nice to see MS finally addressing a number of things especially boot-up time.
ReplyDeleteBut, would their automatic updates still snuff the life and space out of your hard-drive til it turns blue? Would all the ADS e.g. "Low on Printer Ink!" Buy! Buy! Buy!, Virus! Virus! Warning! pop ups be a thing of the past? I have yet to see. It is primarily due to these and other factors and frustrations as a user that I ditched Windows over 3 years ago and went for a Mac and slowly learned Linux, which I run on our older netbooks and laptops accumulated over the years.